Altolamprologus Black Calvus Inkfin and Multies in a 29g or ALTOLAMPROLOGUS COMPRESSICEPS RED LUFUBU and Multies. Is there much of a difference between the two? I know that either Altolamp Black Calvus and Altolamp Compressiceps are very similar, will either work with Multies in a 29g?

Both are such great fish, I would not want to cram them into a 29 gallon with multies. But then again I have only had the multies and never had comps or calvus so maybe I stepped off the base. A recommendation that I have seen several times for a 29 gallon is multies with a pair of one of the smaller Julidochromis species.

It is actuallly in cookie cutter set-up in the library. I am so stoked... First Tang tank... I also have a 55g with Mbuna. Can't wait... I am very happy with EITHER of the two Altolamps, but really, really looking forward to the Multies.

I really enjoy my multies. The cookie cutter actually suggests that you may have three pairs of species in a 29 gallon. I personally think that would be very difficult to do. I think it is possible to do the multies with either a single calvus or a calvus pair. The biggest problem will be getting a pair of calvus. You may need to start with 5 or 6 calvus in a bigger tank to establish a pair and then move them into the 29 gallon. Hopefully someone with experience can join in on this discussion because I am just regurgitating information that I have read.

Yes, unless someone makes an impassioned plea otherwise, and tells me specifically why I shouldn't try it (ala being cruel to the fish, it will NEVER work and they will all kill off each other...) I think I will go with 3 1.5" A. Black Calvus Inkfins and pray that I get lucky and get a pair a year or two down the road out of the 3.

Ptyochromis wrote:29 is too small for calvs/comps, I wouldn't go any smaller than a 55.

This really seems to be a topic open for serious debate. Many will argue that a calvus or know pairs of calvus would do fine in a 29g, while other have made your argument that you need a 4' tank. I know you need more space while calvus going through the pairing process but why would you require a large tank for a single or mated pair (assuming they are at peace)?

I've got a very good friend who has been a breeder of Africans since the 1970's. His paired up Comps and Calvus were all bred in regular 10 gallon aquariums, and he produced quite a large number of fry very successfully with such a setup. Now, I don't think a 10 gallon is an ideal situation, but the fish were always healthy, attacked you when you came near the tank in defence of their fry, and quite long-lived.

I have a great deal of experience with calvus personally, though I've probably kept and bred four or five types of comps. Comps can be a bit more aggressive towards food, and I've never kept them with shell dwellers. That isn't because I didn't trust them, it just never happened. On the other hand, I've kept 6" Wild Caught calvus with a number of types of shelldwellers, including multifasciatus. While it is possible that they ate some of the fry, the populations never seemed to suffer, and I know they never ate the adults. Altos evolved to prey on fry in the cracks and crevices of rocks. They were not built to catch fish in the open water, or adults shellies. Over the years, I've probably had four pairs/groups of calvus with shellies, for the life of the calvus... which has been anywhere from five to nine years for the wild adults I received.

In all seriousness, there is a LOT of disagreement on whether the Calvus is do-able in a 29g. Most people do agree that a known pair will absolutely work. Only a few think one can get a pair to bond in a 29g.